Last Chance to Explore Strange Matter

When: Mon., Jan. 3 2011

You'd better hurry if you want to get in touch with your inner scientist: The Strange Matter exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center ends today. Luckily, there's still a little time left for you and the kids to poke, prod, squeeze, and shatter all sorts of weird stuff. Among the dozen hands-on options, you can feel the bumpy ridges of a larger-than-life foam display that reaches up to the ceiling, and slip on a pair of gloves and push your hands through a vat of liquefied metals. Then try to channel your inner Hercules as you hurl a bowling ball at a sheet of heat-tempered glass that may or may not shatter on impact. It's more than just fun: It's a perfect way to learn about the nature of the world around us. The exhibit is open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14.95 for adults, $13.95 for seniors, and $12.95 for kids ages 2 to 17. The Great Lakes Science Center is at 601 Erieside Ave. Visit greatscience.com or call 216-694-2000 for tickets and more information. —Chrissy Niehaus